Clothes-washing machine



Nov. 13, 1951 H. HOVDEN CLOTHES-WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. l, 1948 4 m d V I o r nH Mr 4 mnn "V... 8 a n H A I W 0 v 21 I. m E m Patented Nov. 13, 1951 Havtor Hovden, Orstavik, Norway Application November 1, 1948, Serial No. 57,728 In Norway November 3, 1947 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for securing motion of cleansing fluid and clothes in cloth washing machines of that kind in which the cleaning is obtained by vibrationor pressure variation of the cleansing fluid.

In such vibrating washing machines the cleaning action takes place only in a very limited zone of the cleansing fluid. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide for the periodic circulation of all parts of the fluid with the clothes through this zone of cleaning action and in such a manner that the clothes are not damaged through contact with the devices effecting such circulation during the alternate suction and pressure strokes of the mechanism causing the vibration or pressure variations in the cleansing fluid. I

According to the present invention such objects are obtained in a fully satisfying manner by arranging a deflector housing above the reciprocated diaphragm producing the vibrations or pressure variations in the cleansing fluid; the deflector housing including a top wall spaced upwardly from the bottom wall in which the diaphragm is mounted and terminating, at least at one side, short of the adjacent side wall of the washing machine; the top wall of the deflector is formed of a plurality of parallel, elongated plate members spaced apart and inclined substantially from the vertical to define inclined passages therebetween through .which cleansing fluid may be pumped by the diaphragm in the form of streams having substantial horizontal components, while the deflector housing opens at the side spaced from the adjacent side wall of the washing machine to permit a by-pass flow of cleansing fluid into the housing.

The invention is illustrated in the enclosed drawing in which Fig. l is a side elevational view of a washing machine embodying the present invention, partly broken away and in section; and Fig. 2 is a top plan view just of the device provided for effecting the circulation of the cleansing fluid and clothes.

In the drawing reference numeral l designates the washing container mounted in a suitable frame 2. A motor 3 is provided for driving the mechanism producing the vibrations or pressure variations in the cleansing fluid and has a shaft 4 on which is mounted an oblique sleeve 5 which imparts an alternating up and down oscillating motion to the arms 6 during the rotation of the motor shaft. Each of the arms 6 coacts with an elastic diaphragm 1 which is extended across a suitable opening formed in the bottom Wall 8 of 2 the container and is fastened at its circumference to the bottom wall 8. The vertical reciprocation of the diaphragms i will produce vibrations or pressure variations within the localized zones of the cleansing fluid located directly above each of the diaphragms. In order to effect the uniform cleaning of the clothes, provision is made in the present invention for periodically transporting clothes through these localized cleaning zones, and this is preferably achieved by setting up a generally horizontal movement of the cleansing fluid through the zones effective to carry the clothes therethrough. Such movement of the cleansing fluid is produced in the illustrated washing machine by a deflector housing disposed above the diaphragm I and including a top wall 9 spaced upwardly from the container bottom wall 8. The top wall 9 is formed of plurality of parallel, elongated guide plate members ii] spaced apart and inclined substantially from the vertical to define inclined passages ll therebetween. During the upward movement of the underlying diaphragm l, cleansing fluid in the space 12 within the housing will be displaced upwardly by the diaphragm and will flow through the inclined passages II, in the form of streams, into the container. Such streams will have substantial horizontal components to cause a circulation of the cleansing fluid effective to carry the clothes into and out of the zone above the diaphragm. During the following suction stroke the clothes will be carried into near contact with the top wall 9 and will be then disposed for being subjected to the following upward impulse or flow of the cleansing fluid. In order to avoid damage to the clothes when contacting the top wall 9 during the suction stroke of the diaphragm l, the top wall 9 is spaced, at least at one end, from the adjacent side wall of the container l. The deflector housing is open at the side facing said adjacent side wall of the container, as at 13, to permit by-pass flow of fluid into the interior I 2 of the housing in the event that the main passages H are clogged or otherwise obstructed by the clothes. A screen l4 extends across the open side [3 of the deflector housing to prevent the passage of clothes into the interior of the deflector housing.

The clothes will in this manner be transported gently step by step horizontally from one end of the top wall 9 to the other end so as to follow the cleansing fluid through the container back to the inlet end for a renewed cleaning effect.

While the washing machine shown in the drawing is provided with a round container having two diaphragms at the bottom and the cleaning operation is performed by the repeated passage of the cleansing fluid and clothes through the localized cleaning zones above the diaphragms, it is to be understood that my invention, relating to the means for efiecting the movement of the clothes through these cleaning zones, is not limited to application with the precise embodiment illustrated, but may be employed in any washing machine having diaphragms setting up vibrations or pressure variations in zones of the cleansing fluid within a container of any suitable shape.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine, a washing liquid container having a bottom wall formed with at least one opening therethrough, an elastic diaphragm sealing said opening, means connected to said diaphragm operative to effect the vertical oscillation of the latter for displacing the liquid in said container, and a deflector housing in said container disposed above said diaphragm and including a top wall spaced upwardly from said bottom wall or" the container and terminating at least at one side short of the adjacent side wall of said container, said top wall being formed of a plurality of parallel elongated plate members spaced apart and inclined substantially from the vertical to define inclined passages therebetween through which liquid may be pumped by said diaphragm in the form of streams having substantial horizontal components for effecting circulation of the washing liquid and articles being washed in said container, said deflector housing opening at the side thereof facing,

toward said adjacent side wall of said container to permit a by pass flow of liquid into said housing.

2. In a washing machine, a washing liquid container having a bottom wall formed with at least one opening therethrough, an elastic diaphragm sealing said opening, means connected to said diaphragm operative to effect the vertical oscillation of the latter for displacing the liquid in the container, and a deflector housing above said diaphragm including side walls extending upwardly from said bottom wall of the container and a top wall formed of a plurality of parallel elongated plate members spaced apart and in,

clined substantially from the vertical to define inclined passages therebetween through which liquid may be pumped by said diaphragm in the form of streams having substantial horizontal components for effecting circulation of the washing liquid and articles being washed in said container, at least one of said side walls of said deflector housing being perforate and spaced from the adjacent side wall of said container to provide a by-pass opening'into the interior of said deflector housing so that articles disposed above said inclined passages and clogging the latter will not be damaged during the suction strokes of said diaphragm.

HAVTOR HOVDEN. H

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 123,226 Brewster Jan. 30, 1872 987,721 Hemmer Mar. 28, 1911 1,079,753 Fearon Nov. 25, 1913 1,265,843 Walker May 14, 1918 1,707,083 Howcott Mar. 26, 1929 2,152,455 Ballentine Mar. 28, 1939 2,203,479 Witwer June 4, 1940 

